Requiem For a Dream
by Joy-girl
Summary: Drip drop goes the blood, How the red does run, Drip drop to a flood. Aren't you having fun? Sakura Haruno finds out that things aren't always as they seem.


_(Written for SasuSaku Month - 2013 - Locked Up)_

So… I seem to be all over the place. The story I wrote before this was a quick adorable one-shot involving Sasuke and Sakura as children. And then I write… this. I fee like I may have problems…

*I apologize for my lack of poetic skills.

**Requiem For a Dream**

_Drip Drop goes the blood_

_How the red does run_

_Drip drop to a flood_

_Aren't you having fun?_

The first to go are her parents.

She doesn't see it coming. The blast is fast and unpredictable. It soars from the Ten tailed beast like a lightning bolt. It connects with Konoha and Sakura knows without being told. She can see Tsunade's hand pressing against her ear, trying to hear the words spoken to her better, and her brown eyes are concentrated on Sakura. After a final nod, Tsunade solemnly walks over to Sakura to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Before the weight fully rests on her shoulder, Sakura yanks her body away. It may be denial, it may be strength, it may be the inability to accept pity – but Sakura does not accept the comfort offered by her mentor. Her mind tunnels, blocking everything but her focus and all she sees are the ninjas that need help.

Sakura rounds on the nearest patient in the camp. He is alone on a cot, the other doctors busy with others in need. The patient is Rock Lee. His body is a deep shade of red, the whites of his eyes gleam in the fire that is surrounding the camp. Sakura scans his body for any sign of life, no allowing herself any time for her emotions to register. There! A soft beat pumps against her pulsing chakra. Her hands press against his chest, willing him to hold on. His broken and worn limbs begin to quiver. Sakura keeps her palms on his chest, calling out for a nurse, for anyone.

Low rumbles that sound of thunder, heat from blasts, and a quaking ground are her only reply. Sakura grits her teeth and stands her ground. She cannot look into his eyes, only on the chakra flow going into the body in her care. She hears only the roaring of the tailed beast and far of battle cries, but little else. The earth shakes harshly again, heat burning against her back, and Sakura must realign her hands. She is unable to find a beat. Sakura calls for help again, this time turning to catch someone's eye. Instead, she finally registers the silence behind the attacks.

Where her sensei once stood, a fallen barely recognizable old maid lays, her body split roughly in half. Beside her, another familiar blonde is staring at Sakura with unseeing blue eyes. One arm is stretched out – reaching for something or someone.

Lee is forgotten and Sakura stumbles over to the two females. The rage of the battle around her fades to a dull ringing. Logic and medical training screams at her – to go find someone that can be saved. Sakura shoves logic and training behind and falls to her knees. The blood of her mentor splashes when she connects to the ground. Pathetically, Sakura tries to pull the two pieces together. They touch, but do little else.

Sakura chokes back a sob as she whirls on her hands and knees to check on the body next to Tsunade. Sakura nearly falls, slipping in the growing sticky substance. She forgets how much blood the body holds.

Ino is whole, but a large piece of debris has made a home in her brain. A shaking hand reaches out and pats down Ino's once blonde hair on the side that is still in tact. She tries to brush away the red, but she only spreads it around. Sakura frowns. Ino would not be happy.

In the back of her mind, Sakura is able to recognize that she is in shock. She is also finding a difficult time caring as she reaches for the hands of the females on either side of her. She holds the limp appendages tightly in her shaking hands and squeezes her eyes shut. She hopes and prays that when she opens her eyes it will all have been one horribly nightmare. The noise inside her head tells her otherwise.

It's the shouting that breaks her from her trance. It is a welcome sound – anything is welcome compared to the ringing in her ears. In the distance, Sakura sees Sai fighting against someone she vaguely recognizes from an art book she once leafed through.

Sai is maintaining, nothing more, nothing less. His name rolls off her lips. Sakura digs and pulls out the strength to push herself off the ground. That's right. She still has more people she can help.

She slips, this time hitting the ground and painting her front half crimson. She tries again, watching herself this time. She looks up a second later, but the Sai she knows is no longer there. The black and white body collapses onto the ground in an ungraceful heap while the head seems to float in the air for an eternity. It does eventually come down rest near its counterpart, but Sakura thinks she has aged decades by then. When it comes to a stand still, no longer rocking, the black eyes are wide and accusing. Sakura can't stop staring.

She hears her name again, this time from another direction. She hears the clanking of metal against metal. Her head rotates slowly, reluctantly. Everything inside of her screams at her to not turn – that something bad was going to happen, but Sakura is no longer in control.

Kakashi's death happens in slow motion. She knows it's coming. She can see it , but she can do nothing. She is not fast enough. Not strong enough.

Kakashi knows it too. She sees it in his eyes when he falls to his knees, his sharingan failing him. He does not have the strength to dodge the killing blow Obito deals him.

Sakura sees it coming. Kakashi sees it coming. Neither can do anything about it.

The ringing in her ears escalates to a piercing decibel. Her legs are suddenly moving as she races towards her teacher hoping for a miracle that they both know will not come true. Her unstable brain begs whoever might be listening to grant her a miracle. She can't loose him too.

Against all odds, Kakashi finds the time to turn his head towards her. His gaze holds so many emotions that he was never able to express. Guilt, love, acceptance, and maybe even pity.

And despite the white noise, Sakura can hear every detail of the fist as it punches a whole into Kakashi's middle. She hears the squishing sound of flesh and blood being mashed and broken into the internal organs. She hears the cracking of the splintering bones and the splattering of the exit wound onto the ground below. It is wet and what hasn't been smashed to liquid slops loudly into the dirt.

With his hand still run through Kakashi, Obito turns to her. He chuckles, his shoulders shaking under the weight of his black cloak. "Poor little Sakura." He taunts.

The hand raises, Kakashi's broken body rising with him. Sakura is still running towards them. Has she really gotten any closer? Tears threaten to fall, but she blinks them away as her hands reach for her kunai.

Her view of Obito is suddenly blocked. She sees a glimpse of black cloth and red clouds through the hole in Kakashi's stomach as he is thrown at her. Sakura has enough time to release the kunai and stretch her arms out to catch him. In her grasp, Kakashi is heavy and forces Sakura to her knees. Everything the copy ninja comes in contact with immediately becomes red and slippery. Sakura nearly drops him onto the ground. She is able hang on to him, cradling him close to her body.

Not once does she look down. She focuses her attention on Obito – except that it's not Obito anymore. His hair has grown longer and hands are held out in front of his face, staring like it's the first time he's seen them.

And then she hears the rage, the anguished cry and her heart breaks all over again. She doesn't want to turn; doesn't want to see the pain he is in. She can't face it. But his eyes are on her; she can feel the intensity. The least she can do is own up to her failures. So she sucks in a deep breath and turns slowly, breaking as she does so.

Naruto's blue eyes are wide and unblinking. They drift from her bloodied form, to the body cradled in her hands, to pile of destruction left behind her. Time has frozen around them. There is no breeze, no sounds of battle. The only movement is the blonde's visible shaking. When he finally does blink, Sakura knows that it's not really him anymore and that he's not truly looking at them.

Madara does not look worried about the amount of rage he had opened up. In fact, he isn't even looking at Naruto. Instead, a smirk adorns the stolen lips and it is aimed at Sakura. So many emotions boil and swirl deep inside of her belly, but she is unable to sort through them all. They converge together and she begins to feel sick. The only real emotion she can truly decipher and pull from the mess is total helplessness and she watches her best friend destroy himself from the inside.

The red chakra is boiling around Naruto, tearing at him. The once willingly controlled ally is feeding off of the anger, letting it build and seep out like a gaping wound.

Sakura hears multiple roars. One is coming from Naruto, the other from the ten-tailed beast. Both are shining brightly, their energies pull at each other. Sakura's attention is immediately on Madara. His fingers are molded into a formation, silent incantations spilling from his lips.

And then Naruto is screaming. Sakura can see the red aura of the fox demon being yanked from his host. It is killing Naruto, Sakura can feel the strength and destructive force that pours from him. The screaming becomes more intense and raw. Both eyes are open and wild with pain. He is being ripped apart from the inside – from his very soul. His long fingernails scrape and dig at his palms. He falls to his knees, his arms barely supporting himself.

Sakura is close – so very close. A bright light flashes, interrupting her vision for just a second, but when it disappears, so does the screaming. The silence is even more deafening than the pained cries. She is by his side in an instant – not even remembering moving or how she got there. Her brain is working overtime trying to remember the hand signs that Chiyo used to bring back Gaara.

Sakura strokes his whiskered cheek. It leaves a red streak on his otherwise clean face. She whispers his name repeatedly. The quiet cry grows louder and louder until she is screaming his name, bending over his body.

Seconds, minutes, days later, Sakura finally looks up. Madara is still standing there – that smirk present on his face.

Mercifully, the brokenness is suddenly blotted out – replaced by an all-consuming rage. There are no more thoughts. No more hurts or other emotions boiling inside. Nothing else to loose. There is only an overwhelming sense of ire that becomes who she is in that moment. Sakura springs up, brandishing kunai in each hand, launching herself at Madara. There is no calculation or planning to her attack; it just is. She sees only one color.

Madara easily steps to the side. Sakura recovers quickly. She spins on her foot, again going straight at Madara. Madara calmly twists out of the way, but grabs her wrist as she passes. She blindly swipes at him again, not caring how predictable she is being. Madara raises his arm, pulling hers along with it. Sakura's body has no choice but to follow. She tries to stab him again, taking advantage of the close space, but his free hand grabs and squeezes the offending wrist until reflexes demand she drop the kunai.

When the kunai drops, so does her will. She is drained, empty. She dangles in Madara's hold, her eyes focusing on the red clouds in front of her. She is vaguely aware of the sound of metal being dragged against metal. A sword is being pulled out of a sheath.

Madara loosens his grip on her wrist, and Sakura crumbles to a heap on the ground. She doesn't look up, but she sees the shadow of a sword as it threatens her life. It's close enough to kiss her throat and she is oh so tempted to just lean foreword and finish it.

No. Her eyes slowly move from the sword to her fallen teachers, friends, family. Her lips press together and her hands clench, feeling the ground gather between her fingers. She will join them soon, but not like this.

As the sword's shadow is pulled back, gathering the force it needs, Sakura raises her head to face her end like the ninja she was raised to be.

Except instead of a sword, she sees white. White, red, and blue.

A mixture of excitement and utter dread fills her in an instant. "No." The denial falls from her lips, unchecked.

A crimson flower is blooming on the white cloth in front of her – just above the crest. The blossom is slow – just like time. Sakura can only see the satisfied smile on Madara's face just before he yanks his arm back. The body follows the sword for a moment before it is pushed off with the heel of an extended foot. The sword exits the wound with a sound that reminds Sakura of when she used to watch her father clean fish. Maybe if she closes her eyes, she will be there instead.

She tries, but only for a moment, because she knows even before she opens them again, that Sasuke is going to fall and she cannot allow that to happen.

Before he reaches the ground, Sakura stretches her arms out, catching him. Immediately, she sees the slit in the robe right over his heart.

"No, no." She knows. She knows it's hopeless. What is left of her logical mind is screaming her medical training back at her – but it's muted and too far away. So far out of reach. Her green hands are dyed another color as his life force pours out of his wound.

His lips are moving. She leans foreword to listen to anything his has to say and then beg his forgiveness, but he is silent. Sakura leans back, keeping her hands in place. He tries again, but the only thing that escapes past his lips is a crimson trickle. His eyes close and he does not move again.

She can't heal fast enough. It is not for lack of trying. She pours everything she has into healing his wound. "No, please no." She begs. Begs anyone or anything that is listening. "Not you." She whispers, words meant only for the lifeless body under her hands.

For a moment, she thinks it's enough. The hole gets a little smaller and there is movement – then the green glow disappears and only red is left. Sakura lifts her hands and glares at the traitorous appendages. She tries to force the healing chakra. She reaches deep into her reserves – into her soul.

Nothing is left.

There is only the color red on her hands, on the ground, on her beloved friends and family.

Red spinning eyes.

And laughter – the laughter echoes in the recesses of her mind far beyond where the piercing shriek of her own voice can reach.

_Kirsch. _

Sakura's world breaks for a moment, bending in and out of focus. Maybe it is finally her turn.

_Kirsch._

The red is still there, but it's fading; fading like a washed out flag until there is nothing but grey.

_Kirsch_.

_Drip Drop goes the blood_

_Watch as they all bled_

_Drip Drop to a flood_

_Green as good as dead_

The first to go are her parents.

She doesn't see it coming. The blast is fast and unpredictable. _It's already happened._ _There's nothing she can do _– _it is a mantra. _It connects with Konoha and Sakura knows without being told. _She has seen it before. _

Before the hand fully rests on her shoulder, Sakura yanks her full body away. It may be denial, it may be strength, it may be the inability to accept pity _it's uncontrollable _– but Sakura does not accept the comfort. Her mind clears and all she sees are the ninjas that need help.

_No – don't go there! Turn around and warn people!_

Sakura rounds on the nearest patient. It is _still_ Rock Lee. Sakura scans his body for any sign of life. There! A soft beat registers against her pulsing chakra. Her hands press against his chest, willing him to hold on. _It will work this time! _His broken and worn limbs begin to quiver. Sakura keeps her palms on his chest, calling out for a nurse, for anyone. _For a moment, she forgets and is filled with determination._

Low rumbles that sound of thunder, heat from blasts, and a quaking ground are her only reply. Sakura grits her teeth and stands her ground. She cannot look into his eyes, only on the chakra flow going into the body in her care. She hears only the roaring of the tailed beast and far of battle cries, but little else. The earth shakes harshly again, heat burning against her back, and Sakura must realign her hands. She is unable to find a beat. Sakura calls for help again, this time turning to catch someone's eye. Instead, she finally registers the silence behind the attacks. _Remembers_

Her sensei is still there, but her body and soul are no longer attached. The halves of her body are attached by the splatter of red. Sakura finds (and hates) that she is noticing more detail. Beside her, another familiar blonde is staring at Sakura with unseeing eyes – one arm stretched out – reaching for something. _She could have reached out and grabbed the hand this time._

Lee is forgotten and Sakura stumbles over to the two females. The rage of the battle around her fades to a dull ringing. Logic screams at her – to go find someone that can be saved. _Because something else is coming_. Sakura falls to her knees. The blood of her mentor splashes as she connects to the ground. She repeats murmured apologizes for not fixing it. Sakura blinks rapidly, trying to remember and not remember at the same time, trying to push out the scene before her. Reality becomes blurry.

So, Sakura instinctively whirls on her hands to meet the other body next to her. She nearly falls, slipping _again_ in the growing sticky substance. Sakura forgets how much blood _is always around her._

Ino is whole, but a large piece of debris has made a home in her brain. Sakura reaches out and pats down Ino's now red hair. She tries to brush away the red, but she only spreads it around. Sakura frowns. Ino would not be happy.

It's the shouting that reminds her to keep moving. _Sai_! He is fighting against someone she vaguely recognizes from an art book she once leafed through.

Sai is maintaining, nothing more, nothing less. His name rolls off her lips. His words pierce her. _She recognizes the call of help_. Sakura pushes herself off the ground – too quickly and harshly. She is not careful and slips again, hitting the ground and painting her front half crimson. She tires again, watching herself this time. Even before she looks up, her insides are dropping and the sense of failure makes her head spin. She looks up a second later, though she knows what she will see. The black and white body collapses onto the ground in an ungraceful heap while the head seems to float in the air for an eternity. When it comes to a stand still, no longer rocking, the black eyes are wide and accusing. Sakura can't stop staring. A part of her breaks inside. One more person she should have been able to save.

She hears her name through the fuzz of her mind. She hears the clanking of metal against metal. Her hands clench and she twists on her foot, fully intending to make it this time. Her hands are already reaching into her pockets to pull out the kunai. _She will make it this time. _She knows where to aim, where Kakashi will be.

Even as the kunai launch, she knows it's too late. It's slow motion and she _knows._ She is _still _not fast enough. _Still _not strong enough.

Kakashi knows it too. She sees it in his eyes when he falls to his knees, his sharingan failing him. He does not have the strength to dodge the killing blow Obito deals him.

Sakura sees it coming. Kakashi sees it coming. Neither can do anything about it.

The ringing in her ears escalates to a piercing decibel. Her legs are still moving as she races towards her teacher closely following the kunai she has thrown.

Kakashi finds the time to turn his head towards her. His gaze holds so many emotions that he was never able to express. Guilt, love, acceptance, and pity.

The kunai reach the two long before Sakura does. Obito is shaking his head. A weight drops in her stomach as the kunai go straight through Obito and fade in the distance. Hopelessness threatens to drown her.

And despite the white noise, Sakura can hear every detail of the fist as it punches a whole into Kakashi's middle. She hears the squishing sound of flesh and blood being mashed and broken into the internal organs. She hears the cracking of the splintering bones and the splattering of the exit wound onto the ground below. It is wet and what hasn't been smashed to liquid slops loudly into the dirt. _It is even louder than before._

With his hand still run through Kakashi, Obito turns to her. He chuckles, his shoulders shaking under the weight of his black cloak. "Poor little Sakura." He taunts.

The hand raises, Kakashi's broken body rising with him. Sakura is still running towards them. Tears threaten to fall, but she blinks them away. Her hands reach out, knowing what is coming next.

Her view of Obito is blocked. She sees a glimpse of black cloth and red clouds through the hole in Kakashi's stomach as he is thrown at her. Kakashi hits her chest with a thud. He is heavy and the weight of his body and her failure forces Sakura to her knees. Everything the copy ninja comes in contact with immediately becomes red and slippery. Sakura nearly drops him onto the ground. She is able to catch him, cradling him closer than ever, desperately wishing he could take whatever life she had left.

Not once does she look down. _She doesn't have time to break anymore. She can't._ She focuses her attention on Obito – except that it's not Obito anymore. His hair has grown longer and hands are held out in front of his face, staring like it's the first time he's seen them.

And then she hears the rage, the anguished cry and her heart breaks all over again. _She has failed him. _She doesn't want to turn; doesn't want to see the pain he is in. She can't face it. But his eyes are on her; she can feel the intensity. _The blame (because she was certainly blaming herself). _Sakura takes a deep breath and steels herself as she turns. She will meet his eyes. She will face him. Anything to change things. Anything to help him.

Her mouth opens to warn him, tell him to run. She shouts and begs. She can hear her own voice as an echo – but nothing more. There is an invisible wall soaking up her voice. He does not hear her desperate plea.

Naruto's blue eyes are wide and unblinking. They drift from her bloodied form, to the body cradled in her hands, to pile of destruction left behind her – never once at her lips. Time has frozen around them. There is no breeze, no sounds of battle. The only movement is the blonde's visible shaking _and Sakura's unheeded cries_. When he finally does blink, Sakura knows that it's not really him anymore and that he's not truly looking at them. She's lost – again. Sakura can't breathe anymore. Her chest is too tight. Dread fills her lungs instead.

The red chakra is boiling around Naruto, tearing at him. The once willingly controlled ally is feeding off of the anger, letting it build and seep out like a gaping wound.

Sakura hears multiple roars. One is coming from Naruto, the other from the ten-tailed beast. Both are shining brightly, their energies pull at each other. Sakura does not look away from Naruto. Her watery green eyes do not leave his fiery red pupils, even as she sees the light fading.

And then Naruto is screaming. Sakura can see the red aura of the fox demon being yanked from his host. It is killing Naruto _again_; Sakura can feel the strength and destructive force that pours from him. The screaming becomes more intense and raw. Both eyes are open and wild with pain. He is being ripped apart from the inside – from his very soul. His long fingernails scrape and dig at his palms. He falls to his knees, his arms barely supporting himself.

Sakura is close – so very close. She is breaking right along with him. A bright light flashes, interrupting her vision for just a second, but when it disappears, so does the screaming. The silence is even more deafening than the pained cries. She is by his side in an instant – not even remembering moving or how she got there.

Sakura strokes his whiskered cheek, whispering her apologies even though she knows it's not enough. Her fingers leaves a red streak on his otherwise clean face. She whispers his name only once this time before leaning over and planting a chaste kiss on his forehead.

When Sakura looks up again, Madara is still standing there – that smirk present on his face. It irritates her.

No, it infuriates her. This time. She will do it this time. Her fingers dig into her palms as she springs up. Her mind is clear for the moment. Red hot anger colors her vision. She pulls out the kunai from her pocket and in a flash she is gone from her spot. Her fingers form blurry signs.

She is suddenly before him, her kunai raised. He steps out of the way. Sakura recovers quickly. She spins on her foot, again going straight at Madara. Madara calmly twists out of the way, but grabs her wrist as she passes. She blindly swipes at him again, not caring how predictable she is being. Madara raises his arm, pulling hers along with it. Sakura's body has no choice but to follow. She tries to stab him again, taking advantage of the close space, but his free hand grabs and squeezes the offending wrist until she and the kunai disappear in a poof of air.

In an instant, she is behind him, the kunai aimed for his heart. It hits the spot – or would have had it connected with something other than air. Her eyes are wide as she skids against the ground. Dirt flies up around her. Her hand fists, chakra rapidly collecting in its clenched form.

Madara is clutching her wrist before she can release the power. Her fist burns like her chakra was on fire. Sakura kicks her leg out, but he meets her halfway and she can feel the bone move.

Madara drops her unceremoniously to the ground. She hits dirt and prepares to run, but the sharp end of a sword in her vision causes her to pause.

Dread. Absolute and utter terror fills her to the core as she remembers. Her green eyes widened to an impossible size. Madara pulls back the sword. He is still smirking, but it is wider this time. It's there. She sees it echoing in his eyes. He also knows what is coming.

A scream wrenches from her throat and she is about to throw herself foreword – doing anything to stop what she knows deep down in inevitable.

Her face hits something solid. Sakura squeezes her eyes shut. She can't look. A broken denial is repeated over and over.

With her eyes closed, she can still hear it – louder than ever. She can make out the barely muted grunt and the squishing and crunching sounds the sword makes as it exits the wound.

She doesn't want to look because it will make it real, but she has to. She can't let him fall.

So again, Sakura stretches her arms out, catching him.

"Sasuke-kun." She knows. She knows it's _still_ hopeless. Just like it was before _and the time before that?_ What is left of her logical mind is screaming her medical training back at her – but it's muted and too far away. So far out of reach. Her green hands are dyed another color as his life force pours out of his wound.

His lips are moving. She can read her name and right now she would give anything just to hear his deep, confident and reassuring voice. He tries again, but the only thing that escapes past his lips is a crimson trickle. His eyes close and he does not move again.

She can't heal fast enough. It is not for lack of trying. She pours everything she has into healing his wound. "No, please no." She begs. "Not again." Begs anyone or anything that is listening. "Not you." She whispers, words meant only for the lifeless body under her hands. She has to heal him. She knows that she will break if she doesn't.

For a moment, she thinks it's enough. The hole gets a little smaller and there is movement – then the green glow disappears and only red is left. Sakura lifts her hands and glares at the traitorous appendages. She tries to force the healing chakra. She reaches deep into her reserves – into her soul.

Nothing is left.

There is only the familiar color of red and the sound of laughter – the laughter that always seems present settled farther back than her own thoughts.

_Kirsch. _

Sakura is broken.

_Drip Drop goes the blood_

_Ashes all around_

_Drip drop to a flood_

_And they all fall down_.

The first to go were her parents.  
The ten-tailed beast let the blast go. The village went with a big show.

Rock Lee was next.  
He had opened all of the gates - opened all of the inner eight.

She didn't see Tsunade and Ino go.  
Once they stood with talent and flair, now they lay with blood in their hair.

Sai's death came was quick.  
His brother who should have been dead, came to fight and cut off Sai's head.

Kakashi's death was right after that.  
Obito dealt the killing blow and from the hole the red did flow.

Naruto follows soon –

Sakura hears the cue of the broken cry. Her head moves slowly, reluctantly. As predicted, Naruto is there. He is staring – always staring and judging.

Sakura purses her lips slightly as she tightens the grip on her souless teacher. He shouldn't judge, she decides. It's not like he is saving them either.

He finally stops looking at her and she does her best to not hear his cries. It doesn't work. The pained screams echo inside her head like the cry in a large vacant room. When the screams end, she is by his side. She kisses his forehead gently, apologizing for not saving him and promising a short rest until next time.

Her body raises automatically. Her limbs move on their own accord, each hand reaching for her kunai. Really though, her heart isn't into it. It's just the way things are now. She doesn't flinch when Madara holds her wrist in a bruising grip. She lets it happen because that's the way it has to be.

She doesn't feel pain when her knees roughly hit the ground. She stares at the skinned appendages and resists the urge to poke at them. It is so small compared to the pain inside of her being. Her green eyes blink automatically as she drifts back into her head, momentarily tuning out her surroundings.

She begins to mentally run through her list again.

Naruto followed Kakashi.  
From the Kyuubi he is free. Peaceful may he ever be

Sasuke –

Her head tilts listlessly off to the side, dull eyes following the long shadow. There were a few times she had tried to beat Sasuke to the sword, but he always got there first. Lips pout. It isn't fair, really. They were able to leave her, why can't she follow? Her finger draws in the dirt next to her. That's right… she can't save anyone. Why would they want her with them, anyway?

The shadow is ready to plunge foreword and she looks away, down at the words below. 'Wait for me.' She has written. A frown tugs at her lips.

She feels the familiar whoosh of air as expected. She does not look up. The words below hold her gaze. Something pulls at her. Her arms are about to reach out to catch the fallen Sasuke, but there is a new sound.

Curious, and slightly more aware, Sakura slowly lifts her head. Her shoulders drop further. No. The familiar back is still there. She looks down again.

Wait.

Her head snaps back up. Something is different.

There is no red flower blooming on a pristine white shirt. Metal against metal continues to grate against her ears. Sakura cocks her head to the side, trying so very heard to push against the haze and recognize exactly what the sound meant. It was familiar – oh so familiar.

From either side of the bloodless shirt, she sees sparks flying. The body in front of her is shaking. She wonders if it is from fear or perhaps he still has the energy to fight his fate. Should she tell him to give up? Or maybe this is just some new twist to make her hope again.

Madara is pushed away. Sakura peeks around Sasuke, not entirely sure what to make of this new event. She is shocked (and very pleased) to note that the ever-present smirk has finally disappeared.

Madara's sword drops and he is snarling. Sakura's ears are ringing again. She can hears words – words that are unfamiliar. As they are spoken, Sakura can feel the earth shaking beneath her.

Alarmed, Sakura frantically twists her head to check on her friends. Naruto's foot is gone. Not cut off or severed – just gone. His leg is disappearing now. Her world often disappears and fades, but something is decidedly different this time – like something is being rewritten.

The chanting continues. It is reaching inside her brain, overcoming the constant laughter that has lived inside of her mind. It is comforting, yet so confusing. The world is shaking and Sakura begins to feel lost.

The words continue to echo in her brain, but Sasuke is now turning to rest on his knees in front of her. She thinks he is saying something to her, but she can't quite hear him.

Her focus is nowhere and everywhere all at once. She is confused – so confused because her world is crumbling around her.

Hands are gripping her arms and she nearly jumps at the unfamiliar feeling. Her eyes do not focus on him, but on her disappearing friends.

"Sakura." She can hear him now. His words are deep, demanding, and maybe even a little bit pleading. When she doesn't react according to his wishes, he shakes her again. Her brow and nose scrunch slightly. She doesn't understand and she's not really liking this. "Sakura!" His voice – usually so cool and smooth is heavy with emotion that demanded attention. It is enough for an old forgotten voice to poke through and suggest she listen.

Green eyes begin to clear slightly and she is finally able to meet his eyes. The dark depths are swirling with emotions she is familiar with. Her head cocks to the side, but their gaze does not break. "Why are you so sad?" She asked. She wants to brush his hair to the side, but she finds that she can't move her arms under his grip.

"Sakura." His voice seems dangerously close to cracking. She can see his jaw line twitching. It is fascinating. "I'm sorry." The words escape his lips and strike a chord within her. She is almost frightened.

Sakura's head begins to turn away, but a knock on her forehead keeps her gaze focused. With Sasuke's head resting on her on, Sakura is forced to concentrate on the onyx orbs. His gaze is intense, trying to pass on all of his emotions without words.

And suddenly Sakura is having a hard time breathing. Memories, things she thinks she knows and things that she remembers are jumbling inside her brain, crashing together in a chaotic mess. "Sasuke-kun." She whimpers. She wants to clutch her head, make the pain go away, but Sasuke holds her steady.

"I know." He simply says. His gaze does not waver and Sakura is able to find comfort and strength in it.

Pieces begin to fit together. "Everyone died."

His forehead shifts against hers. "No, they didn't."

She is still breathless from a mix of pain and hope, "Where are they?"

"Waiting for you, Sakura."

Sakura is silent, contemplating, trying to let things settle. Sasuke will not let her see it, but she knows their time is ending soon. "Will you be there too?" Her question is quiet and childlike.

"Aa."

It almost hurts from disuse when her lips curve upwards. Where her world is crumbling, her old memories are slowly falling back into place. "Did we get him?"

"Aa." Sasuke is still staring into her soul with his fathomless eyes, keeping her focus. She sees the corner of one eye squint slightly and she knows he is smirking with pride.

Bits of her old self return. Her shoulders drop with relief and her lips are stretched father than they have for a while. "Sasuke-kun," There is a lightness surrounding her. Green eyes close, finally relaxed. She lets herself lean foreword, knowing Sasuke will catch her. "Take me home."

He doesn't say anything, but nothing needs to be said. As the fake world disappears, the safety of the arms that wrap tightly around her is all that she needs. It assures Sakura that it's finally over and she can rest.

**(End)**

I almost hate using "Requiem For A Dream" as the title because it's so cliché – but it seemed to fit the best – so there it is.

Anyway – what did you think?  
Did you guess what it was right away?  
Was it too much or not enough?

I am contemplating making a second chapter of her recovery period or something, but I don't want it to be too similar to other stories. Thoughts?

**Thank you for reading!**

**P.S. **I have a tumblr! Feel free to check out _joy-girl-sama_


End file.
